The Vermont secretary of state’s office conducted a statewide primary elections canvass Tuesday morning, certifying vote tallies and making the results official.
The official numbers come a week after the Aug. 11 primary when 174,242 people cast ballots — smashing the primary record of 122,437 that was set in 2000.
Now that the official results are in, recounts can begin.
June Heston, a nonprofit consultant, has already filed for a recount in the Chittenden County Senate race after she lost out on one of the district’s seats by just 46 votes.
There was speculation that there could be a recount for the Democratic Windsor 4-1 House district race, where Heather Suprenant and Hava Walther were separated by just 33 votes.
However, Walther decided against challenging the results, leaving Suprenant the winner with 423 votes to Walther’s 390.
Not so in the Democratic House Windsor 1 district race, which also ended in a razor thin margin and is headed to a recount.
Elizabeth Burrows currently sits just six votes ahead of Jennifer Grant in the race for the second Democratic nomination in that district — Burrows has 647 votes and Grant has 641.
On Tuesday, Grant told VTDigger she has filed paperwork for a recount. Incumbent Rep. John Bartholomew was reelected handily to his seat, but the contest for the second Democratic spot to replace the outgoing Zachariah Ralph remains up in the air.
It also looked like a recount could be coming in the Progressive governor’s primary, but the secretary of state’s chief of staff, Eric Covey, said Tuesday afternoon the race was “not within the range for a recount,” adding “ultimately that decision would be up to the Court.”
With all votes counted, Zuckerman is ahead of Ericson, 273 votes to 254. Boots Wardinski, another perennial candidate running for the Progressive governor’s nomination, received 239 votes.
Zuckerman’s 28.98% of the votes is 2.02% higher than Ericson’s 26.96%, putting him just over the statutory bounds for a recount.
Covey said he was not aware of Ericson actually filing for a recount. Ericson did not immediately respond to an email and phone call seeking comment.
Colin Meyn contributed reporting
